Envelop-sealing machine.



P. W. CARRINGTDN. ENVELOP SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1914,

1,120,688. Patented Dpc. 15,1914.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

P. W. CARRINGTON.

ENVELOP SEALING MACHINE. APPLIGATIdN FILED Nov. 5. 1914.

1,1 20,688. Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 P. W. GARRINGTON.

ENVELOP SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5.1914. 1,120,688.

Patented Dec. 15, 1H4.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

h TA i res n FFICE.

FRED CABRI'NGTON, OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

ENVELoP-SEALING MACHElNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

Application filed. Na i ember 5, 191;. Serial No. 371,431.

(DEDICATED TO THE PUBLIC.)

iilnchines. which the following is :i speci fication. I y

in seem-dance with the provisions or me not of March '1 1853, ch. 143, Stat. L.

625, it is hereby stipulated that the invention described herein may be used by the Government. or any of its oiiicors or em- 1 'e-es in prosecution of work for the Gov- O? by other person in the "-rrithout the payment to me any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to envelop sealing machines and has for its object improvements {herein resulting in a machine simple in crinstriaurie-n, cliiuient in opernti i1, and which can e rim at a high rate oi" speed v. About its ellioiency being impaired. With this object in view. I have constructed :1. machine to carry out the above object, several views of Lid machine being illustrate in uccompsnying drawing, in

is :in eloiation; Fig. 2 is a top Fig. 3 a top plan on an enlie middle part. of the mathereof broken away.

- i' that part ,r Fig.

liiiillQ shown in the drawing comble I"! l. mrried by legs 2, being cxnr the Ermine. onwlops are positioned at the right end ol' the machine in his. I and fki ilitl' fillf'fiflfil as: they are the seal d envelope being lit end.

teal 'hwv'nrci lumhim ll l0 pus.

one a w hioh iv menmt small size of a commercial envelop in ordinary use. This gage comprises a base member 16 and the upstanding arms 11-17 as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

To enable envelops of various sizes to be positioned on the belt, the gage member 16 is carried on the screw threaded part 18 of the member 1?) rotatably mounted on one side of the frame and carrying the crank 20 to permit of easy manual adjustment thereof. To prevent the gage 16 turning with the screw 18, the guide pin 21 carried by the frame passes loosely through the member 16, on one side of the feed element 19. The rods 22-422 carried by the members 2323, removobly fixed to the frame, form an envelop stop on the side opposite to the gage 16. '1. o prevert more than one envelop being fed through the machine, there is pr0- rided a separating roll 3- fixed to a shaft 25 supported in the spring bearings 26. This roll is positioned to revolve in close proximity to the belt 10 in fact, so close as to permit of but one envelop being passed through at a time.

\Vhat has been described thus far is substant-ially hopper one side wall of which is adjustable laterally, the bottom-o1 which is formed by the belt 10 and the front wall of which is formed by the separating r011 24. It has been found by experience that where a large number of envelops are placed directly on the bolt 10, the weight of the enrelops exerting its full force on the belt, will tend to interfere greatly with the S110- ccsshil operation of the separator mechanism. To obviate this dit'liculty and yet permil of smoking a large number of cnvelops in the hopper, the rods 22-22 are curved as shown clearly in Fig. This willcause the envr-lops to be stacked in the hopper in a stopped :n'rmigzeinent, a great part of the u. ihvrot being carried by :he rods.

the lowermost envelop is separated 'l ra m the rest of the. envelops in the hopper and fed forward. it passes between the two endle s belts '27 and and is carried thereby part way through the machine. The up- *ier belt is carried on pulleys 29 and 30 the "he bearings The bearings 33 are movably mounted on pins 34- anrl are acted upon 'by opposed springs and 36 carried about the 3%, the lower sprin s 35 being stronger than the upper springs. The lower belt QS'is carried about. pulleys 37 and 38; the shatts 39 and lO are supported in the fixed bearings 41. As a result of .the yielcling character of the bearings the upper pulleys anal the belt carried thereby are n0rmolly in yielding contact with the loiver'pull: belt. The feed thus described .refore adjust itself to envelops of various thicknesses.

The eni'elop s plaeetl in re hopper with their longer dimension in the direc tion of the feed thereof, their flap edges against the gage l3 and an". The belts 27 anol 28am em, trei'nely narrow. so narrow infect that when the enrelops' are fed along thereby, the flaps will tree of the belts so that the flaps can he operated. upon as hereinafter setout, While the envelope ere heing fed along. It will be noticed also that the feed belts 27 and are substantially nar rower than the Leoarator belt. The purlt this will appear hereinafter. s the lap lifter and comprises a fiat sheet metal )late locatecl laterally of the substantially on a level with .ting surfaces thereof. flap litter is parallel lts and in close I the plane o'ftlie conra. (his edge 43 ot this to the length of the b iinity thereto, and the other etlge 4-1 is at an angle thereto. the two edges terminating in close proximity, to each other anal above the separating: l0 anilto the side of the separating roll :27. iii; the pointed end. $5 or" the plate. the eflgre is cut away as at 6 to produce he rl iible bevel shown. The edges 4% aml H5 are curved downwardly and inwarrlly to provide roun lerl erlgcs to prevent the tearing of the envelope. .The cut away part it; in addition to being: necessary to prevent the plate 42 interfering with the separating mechanism also results in a separating i-i'lgre which more certain and more oil It is obvious. therefore. ihat an envelop placed in the. hopper and rvn'ioveil therefrom to the feeding belts by the separator mechanism will have its flap raised into the plane oi. the front oi the envelop as the envelop is feel along.

The iact that the veil bolts 5?? and 29 are substantially narrower than the separator belt has been co: nicni'eil on previously. An examination o1"- rig'. Will also show that the separator roll Qiis narroii'er'than the separator belt ai'nl substantially of the Width of the i eerl hells ancl 28. As of this construction, the tapered helimatinee shafts 31 and 32 0f which are supported in I with the lap pend 1 its shaft.

rill; in its separating action.

end 4250f the llep litter 42 can overlie the separator belt and thus raise the fie of the envelop. Without interfering with he feed thereof. Thisoperetion is in fact started While'the envelop is still in the grip of the into the plane of the front thereof as clescribed previously will pass over the moistening roller and. contact therewith. To nlilli'G the contact of the flap anrl'the roller posi e.' the presser member 50 is provided as shown in Figs. 2 and t. the member 50 being formal from the plate +12 and supported thorel y by n'ieans of the neck 51.

As the envelope toloe sealed may i: i of different sizes, some provision is advisable for enabling the inoistening roller to be shifted laterally across the machine. This result is obtained in thetembodiment here disclosed by mounting the roller loosely on its shaft anti pri'n'icling a collar 5:? at one siile thereof. through which is passed the nut 53 for locking the moistening roller to As an adjustment of the roller will also necessitate .a. corresponding ad- 'nstmcnt of the resser member 50, the plate 42 is made adjustable laterally of the ma chine by he the threaded bar 54 pass through the members 55 depending from the plate. ll: tin-hing the crank 56 carried by the bar. t e plate lancl the presser member :70 are/both acljustecl. Formed integral with the water reservoir and sloping upwardly from the top thereof in alldirec tions is what forms substantially a funnel 157. Fig. l. to return to the reservoir, surplus iraior which may have fallen from some part of the machine.

Tifater is suppli d to the reservoir from the tanl; 57 carried by the frame; 58 is the filling opening". normally closed by a clip; the feed pipe 59 leads from the bottom of the tank {Hill empties into the reservoir 49, substantially at the point shown in Fig. 1. The pipe 60 enters the tank near the top and extends into the reservoir slightly below the lower end of the pipe 59. The feed "from the tank to the reservoir will therefore be a barometric one, the level of the Water in the reservoir being kept at substantially the level at the lower cml of the pipe 60, as this level is founcl st results. Because of the fact that some gums nsecl on the flap of en velops are not softened quickly by sold "'(l advisable and preferahle r n the reservoir. For this purpose theheater 61, iscarried by a shelf catchbasin or tray 66 and 67 'is the faucet I zontal plane'as the envelop is fed alongx.

' bracket members 6% and 65.

62 suspended from the frame-work beneath the reservoirby means of; the upstanding ends 63' thereof--engaging the depending Fi' om the bracket member 6a is also suspended the to d'rainit.

The -meansfor turning the envelo back into sealingposition comprises the p ate 68 pivoted tothe plate 69. at 70. The turning plate 68 comprises the forward part 71,

l which is substantially vertical, the plate be:

ing graduallytwisted as shown in the draw-' ing so that thefedge of theenvelop flap will first strike thel part 71 of the plate 68, and will then be gradually turned intoa hori- I The plate 69 is ofthe shape shown, the part 1' 72 being substantially on a. level with. the:- contacting surfaces of the belts and Well .within the space between the upper and lower pulleys 30 and 37,011. theleft so that an' envelop fed oif frombetween the belts 'willbe. fed directly onto" the.plate 69 and thenbe'tween the sealing rollers.

To enable the flap turning plate'68 to be used with envelops of different-.1 sizes, the plate 69 is. made laterally adjustable by mounting -it upon the threaded shaft/Z3 .oper'atejdby the crank 74. The flapsafter being turned down as described are pressed into contact With the envelop by the two 5 sets of rollers' 75, 7621111177, 78-. The upper 1'0l16IS;.75 and. 77 are mounted upon the 'f shafts 79 and 81, carried in bearings 83 supported in the same way as are the bearings 33 described in detail previously, 'except that the upper springs are stronger. than ried by'the shafts and '82 supported in ,the fixed bearings 84. It will be noticed ,thatihe -part.72 of the plate 69 extends almost 'to the 'line where the rolls 75 and Y 45 the lower springs. The lower rolls are car- 76 touch, so that theenvelop thus far has been supportedfrom beneath at'all points.

7 At the left-hand end of the machine! in Figs. 1 and-2 and supported from the frame as shown. is the stacker, in the form of a;

receptacle having a bottom 85 arranged at substantially an angle of 45 to the horizontal, the side walls S6and 87 and the end walls 88 and 89. The right hand" end of the bottom 85 isbentas shown at 90, to

prevent envelops being stuck in be tween the bottom 85 and the end 89. Cut in the sides 86 and 87 are. the slots 90 and 91 two oneach side. These slots are parallel slots are the lugs 92 and 93 extending laterally at each side from the end ofthe plate to the'end.88 and are arranged in the upper end of the sides. Slidably carried in these 94 curvdasshdvim. Due to the arrangement of the slots and the pins the weighted plate,,.94 is freely moyable upwardly, but

see

always to positions parallel with that shown in Fig. 1.

The lowermost position of the weight S-tis substantially above the top of the frame 1 and above the plane along which the envelop is fed through the machine. The sealing rollers 75, 76, 77 and 78 are intended to be operated at a: great rate of speed and the envelops will be shot into the stacker with a great deal of force so that the first envelop will be caught in. between the bottom 85 and the weight 94.

Each succeeding envelop will be fed below those already in the stacker. Because of the ,curvatureiii'the plate 94, the envelops in the stacker are buckled in conformity This fact .coupled with the therewith. actionof the weight 94 results in' the com pletion of the sealing operation in the stacker The sides and {the bottom are cut away as at 95 and 96' to enable the envelops to be liftedout of the stacker more easily.

[Any mechanism for. driving the machine carried'on the shelf 102 and controlled by switches'103 and 104. The motor 101 drives a belt 105, whi ch in turn iotates the pulley can be employed and the one here shown consists of two electric motors 100 and 101 106fixed to the shaft 40. So also the motor 100' drives the' shaft 32 through the intermediary of the pulley 108 carried thereby and of thebelt 107. Theshaft 10 in addiand positive gripping and feed action of the belts upon the envelops follows naturally from what might be termed the balanced drive of the feed belts.

The separator belt 10 is driven from the shaft 40 through the pulleys 109 and 110 fixed .to the shafts 10 and 13, respectively,

and thedrive belt 111 passing around them.

The separator pulley 2is also driven from the shaft 40 through thpulleys 112 and 113 fined to the shafts +10 and 25 andthe belt -11-.t. ,It will be noticed that the separator roll24: is drivenlat the same rate of speed as are'the pulleys carrying the feed belts 27 and-.28 whereas the separator belt 10 is drivcn'at a slower speed due to the pulley 110 being larger than the pulley 109.

The action of the separator roll will be to push back the envelope faster than they are'fed forward with the exception of the lowermost envelop, which will be fed for- -ward-, due to the grip of the belt thereon and of the slight spacing of the roller 24 from the belt 10. Furthermore, the endless belts 27 and 28' will more at a greater speed than will the belt 10. I The eflect will be that i it is pulled out of the Way almost immediately ing roll all as soon as an envelop is gripped between increased and of the next the two feed belts, its feed is envelop.

The shaft 10 also drives the pulley 115 fixed to the stub shaft 111 carried by the frame through the belt 117, and the shaft 48 carrying the sealing roller i7 is in turn rotated by the stub shaft 116 through the pulley 118 carried thereby and the belt 111) and the pulley 120 inounte on the shaft. The moistening roller is rotated much more slowly than is the driving mechanism thus far described.

The shaft 32 drives the shaft 31 and in turn the sealing roll 77 through the pulle vs 1521 and 1122 fixed to the outer ends of the respective shafts and the belt 123 passing around said pulleys. The shaft Si in turn drives the shaft 79 and the roller carried thereby through the pulleys 124- and 125 fixed to the inner ends of said shaft and the belt 126 passing thereover.

in the practical operation of the machine a number ol envelops is placed' in the hop per to rest directly upon the separator belt. The 'envelops are arranged one upon. the other, with the llaps hanging down, the (lap edge thereot toward the gage member To take partof the weight of the envelops from off the bolt. the op osite edges thereof are pushed against the members 22,212. The gage 16 is then adjusted as required. The lap turner plate l). the ina'istening roll 17, and the l'lap-closing members 13S and of) are each adjusted to operate mostellieirntl with the particular size envelop used. The envelops in the hopper .a re press-ed down against the belt 10 by the hand or by a weight and the switches m3 and lt l turned to close the circuits to both motors.

The. lowermost envelop will la separated from therest and ed l'orn'ard. The point ed cud l5 ol' the llap opener 1:2 will enter between'the flap and the body of the envelop upon lheforward moveiuent thereol and as this movement is continued. the llapjwill be turned into the plane of the envelop and as the teed continues. will be till-cod into contact with the moistend moistened. Upon the further feeding of tin envelop. the tlap will contact with the member 71. (3S and be turned against the body' tlu-weot'. As the envelop is, passed between tl'rt lalfis'slllfl' rolls, the moistened tla'p is pressed into close contact with the envelop and the envelop thus sealed. The envelop is then projected into the hopper and benaiththe weight as de scribed previously. v

The machine herein described is intended as merely illustrative oi the invention and as being one embodiment thereof. Nothing herein is to be taken as limiting the invention except as specifically set out in the annexed claims.

I claiinl. in an envelop sealing 1nachine, the

combination with envelop separating inecha msm comprising an endless belt, o't envelop feeding mechanism to receive the envelop from the separating n'ieehanism and to feed it through the machine comprising two endless belts narrower than the separating belt, and of means to the side of the feeding means for turning the flapsv into theplane. of the body of the envelop, the said tiirning meansextending; to a point '3. ln an envelop sealing machine, the .combination with envelop separating 111891111- nisin comprising: an endless belt, a separat ing rollabove the forward-part,of less belt. and narrower than said belt, of means tor receivine'envelops from the separating mechanism, and feeding them through the machine, and means to. the side of the l'eedmg means i'or turning the ilapsmto the plane of the bodythereot, the said turnin; means extending; to a poi t abovethe belt and to the side of the separating roll.-

in an envelop scaling machine. the combination with envelop sepa 'ating mechanism col-uprising an endless belt, at envelop feeding mechanism to receive the. envelops from the separating mechanism and to fee: them through the machine eomprisingtwo endless belts narrower than the separating belt. and of means to the side otthe feeding means for turning the llaps into the plane oi the body oi the envelop, tl1e.saidturning means extending to'a point. above the belt,

said turning means being adjustable. laterally of the feed belts to accommodate envclops ot various sizes. a

l. The combination in in o; machine ot' envelop holding means, means for separating envelops therefrom, one at a time. feeding means to receive said envelops and fcd them through the. marhine, said-feeding means comprising two endless belts one above the other, and means located laterally of the belts and in the plane ot the contacting surfaces thereof, for turning the flaps into the plane of the body of the envelops. inn one edge par allel to and in close proxin'iity to the belt, and another edge above the belt":

the end an envelop seal-s.

said turning means havra uallv approaching said first rnentione l edge 1 

